k3of5ks
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Q: New user needs help backing up...

I just jumped ship from Microsoft platform to Apple.  I'm up and working, although it's like learning a new language. 

 

Our IT people just installed my new Macbook air to our exchange server.  Everything went well, however they informed me that I can't back up this computer on the server because the server is a Microsoft product. This is a work computer and I need to back up my files and artwork.  What is my easiest option?  Will back up to Icloud work for this?  Thank you in advance for the input!

MacBook Air, OS X Yosemite (10.10.3)

Posted on Jun 16, 2015 2:17 PM

by k3of5ks,Solvedanswer
k3of5ks k3of5ks
Level 1 (0 points)
A:

I got the Magic Mouse.  Went in to learn that I did not have right click checked.  I'm happily right clicking now.  Thanks much!

Posted on Jun 17, 2015 8:13 AM

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k3of5ks

Q: New user needs help backing up...

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  • Helpful answers

  • by Csound1,

    Csound1 Csound1 Jun 16, 2015 2:20 PM in response to k3of5ks
    Level 9 (50,659 points)
    Desktops
    Jun 16, 2015 2:20 PM in response to k3of5ks

    iCloud is not a backup system.

     

    Buy an external drive, plug it in, turn Time Machine on.

  • by k3of5ks,

    k3of5ks k3of5ks Jun 16, 2015 2:50 PM in response to Csound1
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 16, 2015 2:50 PM in response to Csound1

    Thanks.  I was hoping to not have to make yet another purchase.  Any advise for hard drives that will work well with Time Machine and are affordable?

  • by aatsi,

    aatsi aatsi Jun 16, 2015 2:55 PM in response to k3of5ks
    Level 1 (95 points)
    Jun 16, 2015 2:55 PM in response to k3of5ks

    This is confusing. An Exchange server hosts email. I'm not really sure how your Mac can be installed to the Exchange server. You can have an Exchange email account added to your Mail program. Perhaps that's what you mean?

     

    You can definitely back up a Mac computer to a Windows server (even though it's running a Microsoft product). It's probably less of a technical issue than your IT people not wanting to set it up. If there's a shared drive on the Windows server, your Mac can use cifs or smb to join the Windows share. For example, if a Windows user would bring up the shared folder by going to \\server\sharedfolder, then you would just press Cmd-K (in Finder) and then go to cifs://server/sharedfolder instead.

     

    iCloud does offer storage, but it isn't cheap. You can see the pricing here:

    https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201238

     

    The first 5 GB of space is free. 1 TB is US$20/month.

     

    If you buy an external drive, any external will work just fine. You'll just have to use Disk Utility to reformat it for Mac before it'll work as a Time Machine backup drive.

  • by Csound1,

    Csound1 Csound1 Jun 16, 2015 2:58 PM in response to k3of5ks
    Level 9 (50,659 points)
    Desktops
    Jun 16, 2015 2:58 PM in response to k3of5ks

    Any USB drive will work, get one three times as large as your internal drive. In your case I suggest a USB3 drive, they are marginally more expensive than USB2 but a whole lot faster.

  • by k3of5ks,

    k3of5ks k3of5ks Jun 16, 2015 3:48 PM in response to aatsi
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 16, 2015 3:48 PM in response to aatsi

    AATSI - I don't know all the correct lingo, and I believe you are correct - that my Exchange email account was added to my mail program.  I'm using Microsoft Outlook 2011 for Mac.  Quite interesting compared to Microsoft for Microsoft. 

     

    I'll pass along your wisdom to my IT people and see if there's success. 

     

    Regarding ICloud and storage.  Ridiculous price!

     

    While I'm on a rant, I've used the Microsoft platform for 20 years.  What is the deal with this no right clicking with Apple.  Drives me crazy.  Wanted to cut and paste one of your comments so I could reply but NOOOOO........

     

    I've got lots to learn.  Will do tutorials every day until I'm a master.  Thank you very much for your help!

  • by k3of5ks,

    k3of5ks k3of5ks Jun 16, 2015 3:50 PM in response to Csound1
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 16, 2015 3:50 PM in response to Csound1

    Thanks Csound1.  Great advise.  I'll get a 8GB flash drive with the faster USB3 technology for faster load times.  Do I need to worry about any formatting?

  • by Csound1,

    Csound1 Csound1 Jun 16, 2015 3:52 PM in response to k3of5ks
    Level 9 (50,659 points)
    Desktops
    Jun 16, 2015 3:52 PM in response to k3of5ks

    Who told you there is no right clicking on a Mac, not your IT dept I hope.

     

    You can right click on a Mac as you wish, check in System Preferences to make sure it is turned on (the default is on)

     

    (Apple refer to it as a Secondary Click, methods for Mice (right click) Trackpads (click with 2 fingers) or Keyboards (ctl-click) exist

  • by k3of5ks,

    k3of5ks k3of5ks Jun 16, 2015 3:53 PM in response to Csound1
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 16, 2015 3:53 PM in response to Csound1

    No one told me.  I'm right clicking and nothing is happening.  I'll check into System Preferences.  Has anyone told you yet today that they appreciate you?  I sure do!

  • by Csound1,

    Csound1 Csound1 Jun 16, 2015 3:54 PM in response to k3of5ks
    Level 9 (50,659 points)
    Desktops
    Jun 16, 2015 3:54 PM in response to k3of5ks

    Do you use a mouse or a trackpad?

  • by Csound1,

    Csound1 Csound1 Jun 16, 2015 3:56 PM in response to k3of5ks
    Level 9 (50,659 points)
    Desktops
    Jun 16, 2015 3:56 PM in response to k3of5ks

    k3of5ks wrote:

     

    Thanks Csound1.  Great advise.  I'll get a 8GB flash drive with the faster USB3 technology for faster load times.  Do I need to worry about any formatting?

    8GB is far too small, 2 to 3 times the capacity of your internal drive is optimal. The drive must be formatted as MacOS Extended (Journaled) which you can do in Disk Utility

  • by Csound1,Helpful

    Csound1 Csound1 Jun 16, 2015 4:03 PM in response to aatsi
    Level 9 (50,659 points)
    Desktops
    Jun 16, 2015 4:03 PM in response to aatsi

    aatsi wrote:

     

    iCloud does offer storage, but it isn't cheap. You can see the pricing here:

    https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201238

     

    The first 5 GB of space is free. 1 TB is US$20/month.

     

    If you buy an external drive, any external will work just fine. You'll just have to use Disk Utility to reformat it for Mac before it'll work as a Time Machine backup drive.

    Just an FYI here, iCloud's storage is synchronous, totally unsuited to backup. If you accidentally delete a file on your Mac, you delete it from iCloud's storage as well.

  • by k3of5ks,Solvedanswer

    k3of5ks k3of5ks Jun 17, 2015 8:13 AM in response to Csound1
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 17, 2015 8:13 AM in response to Csound1

    I got the Magic Mouse.  Went in to learn that I did not have right click checked.  I'm happily right clicking now.  Thanks much!

  • by Csound1,

    Csound1 Csound1 Jun 17, 2015 8:20 AM in response to k3of5ks
    Level 9 (50,659 points)
    Desktops
    Jun 17, 2015 8:20 AM in response to k3of5ks

    I am glad to hear that but why did you mark your reply as the solution to the problem?